STORRS -- Junior Kiah Stokes had been a regular target of UConn coach Geno Auriemma's criticism over the past two seasons. Although she's blessed with the ability to be an impact player in the low post, her career has been inconsistent.

Stokes, a 6-foot-3 center, would exhibit signs of progress time and again, only to revert to accomplishing little in both practice and in games. This was maddening for Auriemma. And he let her know exactly how he felt about her inconsistency on a regular basis.

Tired of listening to Auriemma chastise her for her poor play, Stokes decided to do something about it during the off-season. She wanted to return with an improved mentality. As an upperclassmen, she also wanted to serve as a role model for her teammates.

Through the first seven games this season, her work has been noticeable.

"I think I'm just playing harder and playing with more confidence," Stokes said. "I know I'm able to do those things. So if I can rebound and block shots every game, then I can just start with that and then work on being more aggressive offensively. Any little thing that I know I can do helps. And the confidence comes with it."

Stokes continued to distance herself from her past in Saturday's 100-46 win over Monmouth before 6,645 in the Hall of Fame Challenge at Gampel Pavilion. She produced a career-high 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in 25 minutes.

It was her second double-double in the last three games and her third of the season. Stokes had just two double-doubles in 68 games over her first two seasons.

"Maybe she's just having a little bit of success and wants more of it," Auriemma said. "That's the only thing I can think of, because it's not like all of a sudden she has gotten any taller or any quicker or any stronger or any faster. She's still the same person. She's the same person trying to do more things than she did last year. That's 90 percent of the battle. Just try more." Stokes has also reached double figures in scoring in three straight games for the first time in her career. She is averaging 12.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks over the past three games.

"Kiah should be a beast each time she steps on the court," UConn junior Brianna Banks said. "As big as she is and as broad as her shoulders are, she should be a beast every time. Every time. She's working a little bit harder every day and getting more rebounds and being more aggressive."

What impressed Auriemma Saturday was the fact that Stokes had two three-point plays, one with 1:21 left in the first half and another with 11:42 left in the game.

Stokes was 5-of-7 from the field, 4-of-4 from the free throw line and committed just one turnover.

"We know she can do it," UConn sophomore Moriah Jefferson said. "That's the way that she can play all the time. So she's been proving it for the past three or four games now that she's coming along. So I'm happy with it. And I know everybody else is."

Stokes is averaging 7.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and a team-high 3.1 blocks in 23.4 minutes this season. All of the statistics represent career-highs.

However, she knows that this is only a start.

"There were a couple times (Saturday) where I could've got one more rebound or one more block," she said. "So you can never be satisfied, but it's definitely a first step. Way better than the past two years. So I'll start with that, but always continue to grow."